Fence



(No Model.)

J. S. FERGUSON.

FENCE.

Patented July 28, 1885.

N PETERS, Pxwm-umo w hur. Washington, 11c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STEPHEY FERGUSON, OF LEWTSVILLE, TEXAS.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,032, dated July 28,1885.

Application filed December 2-2, 1884. (No ml di-l.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lewisville, in the county of Denton and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fences; and its object is to provide a simpleand improved fence which can be built with superior facility andeconomy, and utilize trees in range with the fence, and which willfurthermore possess advantages in point of inexpensiveness, durability,and general efficiency.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a fenceembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail transverse sectional Viewtaken through one of the panels and looking toward the post. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the top end of one of the posts. Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view showing the connection of the strands of thepanels with the longitudinal top wire.

Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters ofreference.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the upright posts, which areprovided at a suitable point upon their face with a notch, a, to receivea longitudinal barb-wire, B, this wire being continuous from one post toanother, and secured by means of staples b at the notched portion a.

In constructing my improved fence the posts are set in the ground in anysuitable manner, and all occasion for cutting the posts to any certainlength is entirely obviated, whereby when the post rots at the base orbecomes displaced it can be readily reset and provided with anothernotch, a, corresponding to the altered position of the post. By thisarrangement economy and convenience are effected. The posts arepreferably cut from rough timber, as shown, with an extended top end tospecially provide for resetting.

It is manifest that thetop barb-wire may be fastened to trees or otherprojections in range with the fence, thus dispensing with the posts, thetrees being formed with the notch a, as shown in Fig. 1, for thereception of the wire.

- placement.

The panels are formed by longitudinal boards or rails G, secured attheir ends by strands of wire D D, the rails being disposed one abovethe other, as shown. The end strands are formed of a single piece ofwire bent around the ends of the rail in the form of a retainingloop,(1, and provided with intermediate twists, (1 which retain the railsfrom relative dis- The ends of these single strands of wire are broughttogether at the top of the panel and intertwisted above the top rail, asshown at (1*, when one strand is passed between the strands of thelongitudinal top barbed wire B, the two ends being twisted above thesame, as shown at b". The panels are thus secured to and suspended fromthe strand of barbed wire, while the latter also serves to keep offstock and otherwise protect the panels or fence from damage, and thissuspending-strand also possesses the merit of simplicit-y, lightness,and ineXpensiveness.

By passing one of the intertwisted top ends of the strand of wire at theends of the panels through the strands of the longitudinal top barbedwire, B, as above described, and clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 0f thedrawings, lateral movement or displacement of the panels is completelyobviated, and a more secure and positive connection effected.

Fastening devices are provided at the bottom of the posts or trees,these consisting of hooks E E, pivoted upon a staple, e, and projectinglaterally in opposite directions, the hooks being engaged with thebottom loop, (I, of

' the securing-strands of wire, which is enlarged aware that heretofore,in the construction of I00 fences, longitudinal top rails have beenprovided between the posts or uprights and set upon the same, the endsof said rails being beveled and secured by wire loops, or otherwiseconnected to the tops of the posts, and that panels have been suspendedfrom said rails in various positions and arrangements. It is also knownthat longitudinal top wires have been employed in wire fences to supportthe wire panels of the fence, which are also stapled to the posts. I donot, therefore, broadly claim such construction, my claim being for myown improved fence, embodying the longitudinal top wire extending alongthe plane of the fence and supported in recesses in the posts, thepanels being suspended upon said wire by means of the wires intertwistedbetween the top strand and anchored at the bottom by means of hooksengaging the bottom loops of the strands by which the rails are securedtogether, the whole forming a fence possessing many advantages in pointof strength, simplicity, and durability, and more 20 easily and cheaplyconstructed.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent I Theimproved fence herein described, con sisting of the series of uprightposts provided with the notches or incisions in their face, hav- 25 JOHNSTEPHEN FERGUSON.

WVitnesses:

A. .I. MAssEY, S. FERGUSON.

